Filter
Top Products
CHAPTER
1-1
Cisco NAC Guest Server Installation and Configuration Guide
OL-15986-01
1
Welcome to Cisco NAC Guest Server
Introduction
The Cisco NAC Guest Server is a complete provisioning and reporting system that provides temporary
network access for guests, visitors, contractors, consultants or customers. The Guest Server works
alongside Cisco NAC Appliance or Cisco Wireless LAN Controller which provide the captive portal and
enforcement point for guest access.
Cisco NAC Guest Server allows any user with privileges to easily create temporary guest accounts and
sponsor guests. Cisco NAC Guest Server performs full authentication of sponsors, the users who create
guest accounts, and allows sponsors to provide account details to the guest by printout, email or SMS.
The entire experience, from user account creation to guest network access, is stored for audit and
reporting.
When guest accounts are created, they are either provisioned within the Cisco NAC Appliance Manager
(Clean Access Manager) or stored within the built-in database on the Cisco NAC Guest Server. When
using the Guest Server’s built-in database, external network access devices, such as the Cisco Wireless
LAN Controller, can authenticate users against the Guest Server using the RADIUS (Remote
Authentication Dial In User Service) protocol.
The Cisco NAC Guest Server provisions the guest account for the amount of time specified when the
account is created. Upon expiry of the account, the Guest Server either deletes the account directly from
the Cisco NAC Appliance Manager or sends a RADIUS message which notifies the network access
device (NAD) of the amount of valid time remaining for the account before the NAD should remove the
user.
Cisco NAC Guest Server provides vital guest network access accounting by consolidating the entire
audit trail from guest account creation to guest use of the account so that reports can be performed
through a central management interface.
Guest Access Concepts
Cisco NAC Guest Server makes use of a number of terms to explain the components needed to provide
guest access.
Guest User
The Guest User is the person who needs a user account to access the network.